Two of our little beans, Sharon and Nicole, are running the San Francisco Women's Marathon to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society later this month and we just had to create a color in honor of their journey and the inspiration behind it! After eight months of hard training - both mentally and physically - (most days waking up at the crack of dawn to run and then coming to work!) they are gearing up to run 26.2 miles in one single day. Both fabulously fit ladies are running in support of Nicole's brother-in-law, who is 16 years old and currently undergoing treatment for leukemia, as well as Sharon's soon-to-be mother-in-law, Debbie, who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. "That's How We Roll!" has been JP's motto through his battle with leukemia, which we thought was a perfect name for this energizing color blend of tenacious greys, inspiring Good luck ladies! All of us are rooting for your strong finish!

Here's a little of what Sharon had to say about this month's color and why she's choosing to run in this marathon:
"Many people have asked why we are running this race. A marathon is no easy task and the time spent training has been tough! In particular we are running in support of people who are battling life threatening illnesses. We run for those who are struggling, who are supporting, and who are crafting for a cause. We run in memory of and in support of these very special people who continue to be enormous inspirations to our lives."

Nicole also had a few words to share about her brother-in-law, JP, and his battle with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) who was diagnosed in August of 2010:
"JP was supposed to start his first year of high school - and play on the football team - but then he was diagnosed with ALL. Due to the ALL, he had to stay at home but, thankfully, he responded positively. Within a matter of months, his ALL was considered in remission. Now, after a long year and tough battle later, he is still in remission and taking most of his treatments orally. He is able to attend a partial day of public high school - I've never seen a teenager so excited to go to school. He will continue on with his treatments and once-a-month visits to UC Davis for another 2.5 years. JP has been incredibly strong throughout this entire process. Every time I see him, he is in the best of spirits. Happy, talkative, just as funny as ever. He has handled this part of his life with so much vitality and courage."

To read more about JP's battle with LLE, JP and his father write an online journal about their day to day lives and facts about LLE which you can check out here: jpizzlll.org.
To learn more about the incredible story behind "That's How We Roll", check out Sharon and Nicole's blog post here!

Unfortunately, Sharon and Nicole are no longer taking sponsorships for their marathon run but all proceeds for the Nike Women's Marathon go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you would like to donate or learn more, please visit their website at Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

What better way to start knitting with your LLE color than with some brand new needles? And, of course, we have an entire collection of brand new needles by Knitter's Pride. We are absolutely beside ourselves with excitement - even some of our customers couldn't wait to dive in! They were ordering these needles as soon as we entered them into our system! Knitter's Pride is a fantastic company that makes unbelievable needles in all types - straights, double points, and circulars - and in a few different lines. We're slowly adding all the sets to our site but let's start off with the first ones that we have in stock!

Cubics are designed to be completely comfortable and ergonomic (i.e. fit your hand). With their cuboid shape and perfectly tapered birch wood needle points (the pointier the better, in our opinion!), you'll want to collect them all (I know I do)! Available in Double Points (US 0-11), Circulars (US 3-11), and Single Points (US 5-10), these needles will keep your hands comfortable, no matter what size needle or project you're knitting on! Even better, all of the types of needles are made of densified, laminated birch wood. In English this means that although it's more costly, you're getting a much hardier wood that doesn't absorb water (no warping!) but is still light as a feather!

Although the coveted Cubics sets seem like more than enough to cover all of your knitting needs, we're also proud to introduce the Dreamz line! You know, just in case. :) Also made from the same hardy birch wood as the Cubics needles, what sets these needles apart from the rest is the color aspect. Yep, each size is in a different color! Genius! Not only will your needle set be as colorful as your yarn stash but it will be easy to identify which sizes are which (no more pulling out your gauge checker)! Let's just say we are all excited as can be that these Knitter's Pride needles showed up at our door. We not only love the colors, but adore working with the tapered points, flexible but strong wood, and the smooth joins on the circulars!

Like the Cubics, Dreamz are available in Double Points (US 0-11), Circulars (US 0-19), and Single Points (US 5-10). Can't decide? Neither can we! That's why we have an entire range of interchangeable sets from Deluxe all the way down to Starters! I really appreciate the Single Point sets - also genius in my opinion! We are taking pre-orders for all of the interchangeable sets at this time and expect them to be arriving in our shop soon!

As much as we all loved the last issue of Knitting Traditions (check out the glowing reviews on our website!), I am sure Knitting Traditions Fall 2011 will follow in its footsteps. Packed full of traditional and classic cold weather knits from countries around the world, this magazine will make you yearn for a cup of hot tea and your knitting needles. Cozy socks and gloves, delicate shawls and some absolutely gorgeous sweater patterns all adorn the pages. There's even a pattern for a breathtaking christening gown. With an array of lovely patterns and techniques -as well as some fascinating history and culture - you won't want to miss this issue!

Like ruffle yarn? Love a little shine and sparkle? The Marina Glitz is just what you're looking for! Arriving in eleven vibrant colors with strong acrylic fibers and glitter strands laced throughout, this yarn is rufflicious and sparkletastic (as Leanne, our resident ruffle expert would say). If you love the ruffle factor but are not too crazy about the glitter, we've also just received some brand new colorways in the classic Marina yarn that you're sure to love! Grab your needles - size US 7 through US 9 - and enjoy the novelty of this uniquely bouncy yarn.

If you're at all like me, the bag that you carry is miles deep. At least, that's what it feels like when you're trying to find that teeny tiny item you threw in your bag, that you know must be somewhere at the bottom. Sound familiar? Then you'll love Lantern Moon's new Stash Cases! Three inches in diameter and 1.5 inches deep, these cases are large enough to be easily distinguishable in your bag, but small enough that they won't be considered a nuisance. Use them to carry your darning needles, pins, buttons, stitch markers...anything that might otherwise be banished to the basement of your bag. The bright colors will catch your eye and you can always use them to color code your different tiny tidbits!

A scrumptious blend of silk and merino wool, with a touch of polyester creates the silky soft, smooth wonder of Grace Hand Beaded yarn by Louisa Harding. Oh, and did I mention there are lovely glass beads laced throughout each skein? Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Turn even the most mundane of patterns into luxurious works of art just by using this delectable yarn. With US size 6 or 7 needles, you'll be able to watch this yarn spruce up any accessory you choose! Use one skein as decorative trim for hats and fingerless gloves, or a few skeins to make up this dainty yet elegant scarf and matching evening bag from Louisa's latest book, Three Graces!

Snag some of this amazingly luscious yarn at a very affordable price on Wool Watcher next Monday, October 10th!

If you are an avid lace knitter or just simply on the fence about lace knitting, Wendy Knits Lace will have you busting out those lace needles and diving into new lace patterns in no time. Patterns like the Mairi Tam, Vintage Kneesocks (my favorite!!), and the Esplanade Mittens have been enticing me a little too much for comfort! Many of these designs will be sure to wow you. Of course, it's the shawl patterns in this book that really had me itching for those lace needles and a skein of Helen's Lace "That's How We Roll". The helpful tips, tricks, and techniques combined with easy-to-read patterns make this the ultimate "How-To" guide to lace knitting - for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.

Fans of Debbie Bliss yarns and patterns will be pleasantly surprised with the brand new 2011 Fall line! Debbie Bliss has debuted 2 of her new yarns this season - the kaleidoscopic Riva and the plush and cozy Paloma!

The stunningly colorful Riva yarn will be sure to knock your socks off and still keep you warm! This 70% wool and 30% acrylic chunky weight yarn comes in twelve gorgeous tonal colors, both subtle and bright. Its squishy single-ply softness is best knit on US size 10.5 needles, but will easily work with sizes in that range. Along with this incredible yarn, Debbie Bliss, as usual, has provided us with striking pattern support. The Riva Collection is full of super wearable designs that are perfect for those chilly winter days.

The new sumptuously soft Paloma yarn sets a new standard for chunky weight yarns everywhere! Made of 60% baby alpaca and 40% wool, this chainette style yarn is light and airy but still warm and cozy! Paloma is available in 16 gorgeous colors, including a wide range of brights and neutrals. We love the kits we've created using Paloma, including the Paloma Bobble and Cable Sweater, the One Sleeved Shoulder Wrap, and the Big Knot Scarf. Or, grab the Paloma pattern book and create a full winter wardrobe to wrap yourself in!

The New Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine is full of items to knit for fall or to give as gifts! We adore the gorgeous scarf on the cover, knit in the new Riva yarn, and there are many more accessories inside. Lovely black and white colorwork, Animal Print Intarsia, and some of the most darling children's knits we've seen in a while to complete the collection. Can't decide what to make? Let us help you! Check out some of our kits using this magazine with Debbie Bliss yarns! Pick up your copy of the magazine today and find endless ideas for cool-weather knits!

Also new from Debbie Bliss are two new books with brand new designs for the Glen and Andes line of yarns! Simply Glen includes an assortment of patterns to accompany the soft and tonal Glen line that is available in ten gorgeous shades. An Andes Story adds some new pizzazz to the Andes collection. Andes is a phenomenal single-ply blend of Baby Alpaca and Mulberry Silk. Both of these new collections are brimming with sensational designs that are sure to be a hit!

Noro's trademark color blends strike again! This time in the form of the bulky weight Hitsuji yarn. If you love the color combinations of Kureyon, you'll be thrilled at how quickly those color combinations knit up with Hitsuji (pretty much the bigger sized version of Kureyon) on some US 11-13 size needles. Even better, hitsuji is the Japanese word for "sheep" which is exactly what you get with this yarn: 100% wool - no unnatural fibers here! Sharon immediately fell in love with this yarn and only needed one ball to knit up her chunky cowl.

Also appropriately named is the new Noro Odori, meaning "dance". Whether you're talking about the blend of 40% silk, 25% angora, 25% wool and 10% kid mohair or the artfully blended mix of colors in each skein, dance is definitely the word for this yarn. These bulky weight Noro yarns are lovely for sweaters, hats and pretty much any project that needs some added color. How fun would it be to knit a pair of these Knitting Pure & Simple Mukluk Slippers for yourself or to give as gifts for the holidays?

Of course, the true magic of Noro is in the actual work-up of the yarn. The subtle fading of each color into the next is an effect the folks at Noro have mastered. Add that to the patterns designed just for such effects and you get works of art. Noro Pattern Magazine Volume 30 is the latest collection of cozy and functional cool weather patterns designed exclusively for Noro yarns. In this edition, you'll find a lovely Hitsuji Bag pattern, an adorable children's sweater, a classic ribbed hat and plenty of spectacular sweater patterns (my favorite is the Sleeveless Sweater)!

What's a Noro release of new yarns without one of their favorite designers, Jenny Watson? She's put together not one, but two wonderful new pattern books full of colorful designs that are guaranteed to catch your eye. Mardi Gras emphasizes fun and fashionable party looks which are easily achieved with the plethora of Noro yarns. The book contains a collection of twenty women's patterns (and one blanket pattern!) that take the colorful blends of Noro yarns and knit them into artsy and stylish garments you'll love to flaunt!

Also available is Jenny Watson's City Girl, geared for the fashion-conscious knitter. As Mardi Gras is full of evening party wear, City Girl is a set of twelve trendy patterns that are perfect for daytime shopping trips and bistro outings. From sophisticated double breasted jackets and waistcoats to stunning accessories, like the impressive hooded cape, you'll absolutely love how Jenny Watson transforms your favorite Noro yarns into these wonderfully versatile garments!

Looking for a new knitting challenge? Are you LOVING the ruffle-mania that has hit the knitting world lately? Well, check out Improv yarn from Trendsetter. From the creators of the amazing Cha-Cha yarn (the first ever ruffle yarn in existence!), Improv takes ruffles to the next level of amazingness! Multicolored and twice as wide as the Cha-cha, Improv can be knit at full width for a wider effect, or folded in half to create extra fluffy tonal ruffles. Either way, Improv is a super fun yarn that is sure to bring out the creativity in every knitter!

Leanne, being the ruffle-maniac she is, absolutely fell in love with the Improv yarn and almost cried tears of happiness when we gave her a skein to play with. With one skein, she created a surprisingly long scarf which you can see on our project log here. She also created a very informative video with the Improv yarn on how to Crochet with Ruffle Yarn! Be sure to check it out for some great tips on working with this wonderful new fiber!

Just when you thought Trendsetter yarns couldn't get any better, they went ahead and created Orbit! As a super bulky version of Trendsetter's famous Venus yarn, Orbit knits up quickly in fun textures and allows you to create wonderful, striped garments and accessories without even changing yarns! Wearing something made from Orbit is like wearing a piece of art - unique in every way!

Eyelash yarn is back and better than ever! Available now by Trendsetter, in a gorgeous array of jewel tones, the aptly-named Eyelash yarn is charming on its own, but just as fun when paired with other yarns (like Orbit, for example). Create fabulous trims on sweaters or delightful accessories with this fabulous textured yarn from Trendsetter. I've also been ers" and hedgehogs knitters on Ravelry have been making with this yarn - such a great idea!

Double Wool Watcher Alert! In order for you try out these fantastic new Trendsetter yarns, we'll be putting up some skeins of Improv and Orbit in the same day! Look out for these trendy yarns next Wednesday, October 12th!

If you're not entirely ready for cold-weather knits, or simply live in an year-round warm-weather climate, consider checking out Araucani's Elqui yarn. As soon as we opened the box, I immediately fell in the love with the prismatic colors of this 100% cotton yarn! And how can you not with each tonal and multicolored skein - guaranteed to knit up like a dream. The knitting possibilities for this DK-weight yarn are almost endless, with a whooping 230 yards per hank! Grab one or two skeins for a sturdy market bag or a few for a cool but funky tank.

Select Louisa Harding yarns: Now Save Up to 52%!What a perfect time to introduce Louisa Harding Grace Handed Beaded yarn when we have two different types of her exquisite ribbon yarn to pair it with! Kimono Ribbon Pure is a shimmery heavy worsted weight ribbon yarn with 102 yards per ball. Available in five gorgeous solid colors, this yarn will be great for fabulous scarves and accents or draped cardigans. Also available on sale isool.com/knitting/yarn/LouisaHarding/Glisten.asp">Glisten, a worsted weight ribbon yarn with a bit of added sparkle! At 93 yards per ball, this exquisite ribbon yarn will be sure to knit up romantic shawls and dashing clutches for elegant nights on the town.

Select Debbie Bliss Books: Up to 40% Off!Debbie Bliss books on sale? It's almost too good to be true! We've received a few different books from this oh-so talented designer on sale - so, of course, we get to extend that discounted price to you! Be sure to check out the Knitting Fever's website for intimate previews of what's inside each and every book. These pattern books will be sure to give you plenty of knitspiration for the winter months ahead and we're sure you'll be able to find more than a few gift ideas brewing within these pages!

Knitting Fever Flutter On Sale Up to 46% Off!Also on sale from Knitting Fever is the funky Flutter eyelash yarn! Made of 100% polyester, this yarn will be sure to spark your imagination for a hundred and one projects. Available in a few variegated colorways and an entire range of beautiful solids, you'll be sure to find exactly what you're looking for. Although you can use it as trim and accents for finished projects, you can also use it by itself for fashionable scarves and deliciously fun hats! I, for one, think this yarn would be great to double up with the Araucania Elqui - talk about a colorful project! Or, give your Snobuddy a fashion makeover! :)

Muench New Marabu: Save up to 50% off!We weren't kidding when we said eyelash yarn is back. Although we've carried this sale yarn from Muench on and off for years, we always let our customers know once we have more in since some of you just can't seem to get enough! And we can't blame you with ten gorgeous glitterized colorways! New Marabu features a solid black background (expect for the Lilac and White colorways) stranded with specks of reds, purples, blues...you name it! As with any eyelash yarn, you can use it by itself or pair it with a bulkier yarn for accessories and garments. I'm thinking of grabbing some double points to create I-cord tinsel and decorate my X-mas tree with it come December - what do you think?

We still have spots left for folks to join us at Knitting Lab! If you're on your way to Knitting Lab (or still considering!), we'd like to invite you to come on down to our booth to visit, shop, and be a star! We're in the midst of celebrating our 1,000th video mark and would like to invite you to join in on the fun! We've realized that our favorite ones are those filmed with our customers and friends. So, bring your cherished project, a favorite yarn, or a friend (how 'bout all three?) to rant and rave, share the new technique you learned from Barbara Walker in class earlier, or just to show and tell! Sign up in advance and film three or more videos at our booth (#'s 15 and 16!) during Knitting Lab and get the 20% off "employee discount" during the show - as our way of saying thanks for being part of the JBW Family! We'll be putting the videos up on our website and on youtube - you'll be famous!

To sign-up for your spot (or to receive more details), e-mail shevawn@JimmyBeansWool.com! We hope to see you there!

P.S. Not up for the ticket price? Not to worry! The "Knitting Market" is free to the public! If you're in the Bay area, why not come on down for the day to shop, knit, and say hi?

One last reminder to mention before you start shopping... another round of
Jimmy Beans Bucks are available to use!
If you earned a reward, your reward and free shipping coupon are both currently in your account. Just make sure to log into your account while ordering and you will see both.

If you didn't earn a reward or aren't familiar with this incredible FREE YARN program, take a look now! In a nutshell, if you have a JBW account and made purchases last quarter (July 1st - September 31st) then you received an account credit equal to 5% of those purchases (with a few rules, of course).